Written Answers

Friday 20 October 2000

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its planned research expenditure into the development of organic farming methods was in each of the last three years and will be over the next three financial years.

Mr John Home Robertson: The expenditure incurred in each of the last three years and in each of the following three years is:

  


1997-98


£183,391




1998-99


£228,720




1999-2000


£224,771




2000-01


£327,151




2001-02


£343,992




2002-03


£304,792

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to detail the services and provisions available across Scotland to those diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Iain Gray: Services for individuals diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder are provided by health boards and local authorities, based on their assessment of the needs of their respective areas.

  Voluntary organisations also give services to people with mental health and learning disabilities, including services for those suffering from autism.

  The Scottish Executive is committed to improving the quality of health and social care services, and the general well-being of people with learning disabilities, to enable them to play a full part in society. As recommended in the report of the Learning Disability Review, the Scottish Society for Autism and the National Autistic Society are co-ordinating the establishment of a national service network to improve awareness and understanding of the needs of people within the Autistic Spectrum Disorder. The network will provide access to specialist knowledge and training in both health and other fields. The network will be supported by the new Scottish Centre for Learning Disabilities which is also being set up under the review. Work is progressing on these developments.

Autism

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the European Written Declaration on the Rights of People with Autism, as adopted by the European Parliament on 9 May 1996; what plans it has for its implementation, and what the estimated cost is of implementation.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive has noted the European Written Declaration on the Rights of People with Autism. Current policies on inclusion are very much in line with the aims of the Charter. The report of the review of services for people with learning disabilities, published in May, includes consideration of the needs of people with autism. It promotes social inclusion, equality, fairness, better quality services and the opportunity for people to improve themselves through continuous learning.

Autism

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received on the need for separate secondary education facilities for autistic children and what proposals it has to ensure that local education authorities have the resources required to make such provision.

Mr Sam Galbraith: No such representations have been received. It is a matter for local authorities to determine provision within the Grant Aided Expenditure of £178 million allocated for special educational needs.

Autism

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the annual school census will include a separate category to record the number of autistic pupils.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The annual school census has included since September 1998 a separate category to identify pupils with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder as the main difficulty in learning.

Autism

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5159 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 5 April 2000, whether it plans to collect centrally information on the number of children under the age of 10 in each local authority area who have been diagnosed with autism in each year since 1990.

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what records it collates on the number of people with autism and possible future numbers in order to ensure the adequate provision of resources to meet the health and educational needs of people with autism.

Iain Gray: The school census records the number of pupils with special educational needs, of which autism can be separately identified from 1998 onwards. This only covers children of school age.

  The other source of information on people with autism is from the NHS. Information is recorded only where a patient’s contact with NHS services is related to their autism. Information on face-to-face consultations between GPs and patients (including diagnostic information) is gathered centrally as part of Continuous Morbidity Recording in General Practice (CMR). However, GP practices currently participating in CMR cover only 8% of the Scottish population. Information from this source on the number of people with autism in Scotland is therefore incomplete.

  In addition, there is a Special Needs System in use across Scotland which may be a future source of information on children with a diagnosis of autism. This information is not currently available centrally, but plans are underway for this information to be made available to the Information and Statistics Division of the NHS in Scotland (ISD). It should be noted, however, that not all health boards contribute data to the Special Needs System at present, so information will not initially be available for the whole of Scotland.

Autism

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is providing to organisations and public bodies catering for the needs of adult sufferers of autism.

Iain Gray: Most services for adults sufferers of autism are provided by health boards and local authorities based on the assessment of needs within their respective areas, and are funded through their general funding allocations from the Scottish Executive. In 2000-01, allocations to health boards amount to £4.2 billion, and to local authorities for their social care responsibilities £1.1 billion. Spending on adults with autism is not separately identified.

  In addition, we provide around £670,000 per annum directly to voluntary organisations to support the delivery of services to people with mental health and learning disabilities, which includes services for those suffering from autism.

  We are committed to improving the quality of health and social care services, and general well-being of people with learning disabilities, to enable them to play a full part in society. As recommended in the report of the Learning Disability Review, the Scottish Society for Autism and the National Autistic Society are co-ordinating the establishment of a national service network to improve awareness and understanding of the needs of people within the Autistic Spectrum Disorder. The network will provide access to specialist knowledge and training in both health and other fields. The network will be supported by the new Scottish Centre for Learning Disabilities which is also being set up under the review. Work is progressing on these developments.

Autism

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the number of sufferers of autism (a) below and (b) above the age of 18 years and what the equivalent figures were for (i) 1990 and (ii) 1995.

Mr Sam Galbraith: This information is not collected centrally. The 1998 School Census, however, recorded a total of 998 Scottish school children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder as their main difficulty in learning.

Autism

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities use music therapy as a way of treating autistic children.

Mr Sam Galbraith: This information is not collected centrally. The Executive is, however, currently supporting two voluntary organisations, The Drake Music Project and Islay and Jura Music Therapy for Young People, who work with children and young people with special educational needs, including those with autism.

Autism

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of educational support services provided for children with autism.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Her Majesty’s Inspectors will, as part of the overall school inspection process, comment on the provision of educational support services for children with autism on a school-by-school basis.

Cancer

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any increase in the number of breast lump clinics in mainland Scotland since October 1999, what the locations are of clinics in each health board area and what the proposed sites are of any new breast lump clinics.

Susan Deacon: The information is not available centrally in the format requested.

  Cancer is one of three national clinical priorities for the NHS in Scotland. Specialist Breast Clinics are available throughout Scotland. Mainland clinics are as follows:

  


Health Board Area


NHS Trust


Location of Breast 
Clinic




Argyll and Clyde 


Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals 
NHS Trust 


Vale of Leven Hospital
Inverclyde Royal Hospital
Royal Alexandra Hospital




Ayrshire and Arran 


Ayrshire and Arran Acute Hospitals 
NHS Trust 


Crosshouse Hospital
Ayr Hospital 




Dumfries and Galloway 


Dumfries and Galloway Acute Hospitals 
NHS Trust 


Dumfries and Galloway
Royal Infirmary 




Fife 


Fife Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 


Queen Margaret Hospital 




Forth Valley


Forth Valley Acute Hospitals NHS 
Trust 


Falkirk Royal Infirmary 
Stirling Royal Infirmary




Grampian 


Grampian University Hospitals NHS 
Trust 


Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Dr Gray’s Hospital 




Greater Glasgow 


South Glasgow University Hospitals 
NHS Trust 


Southern General Hospital 
Victoria Infirmary 




North Glasgow University Hospitals 
NHS Trust 


Glasgow Royal Infirmary
Stobhill Hospital
Western Infirmary 




Highland 


Highland Acute Hospitals NHS Trust


Raigmore Hospital




Lanarkshire 


Lanarkshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 



Monklands General Hospital
Hairmyres Hospital 
Law Hospital 




Lothian 


Lothian University Hospitals NHS 
Trust 


Western General Hospital




West Lothian Healthcare NHS Trust 



St John’s Hospital




Tayside


Tayside University Hospitals NHS 
Trust 


Ninewells Hospital
Perth Royal Infirmary 




  Health boards via their Health Improvement Plans and Trusts via their Trust Implementation Plans are responsible for determining the services required to deliver healthcare for their resident population, including any need for new additional outpatient clinics for women with breast problems.

Cancer

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many breast lump clinics serve the Greater Glasgow Health Board.

Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-9619 on 19 September.

Charitable Status

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government requesting that the Inland Revenue allow charitable status to be granted to community radio stations in Scotland.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government on a wide range of issues, including those concerning charitable status.

Culture

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to ensure that the Scottish National Portrait Gallery is able to regain the use of parts of its building which are presently being used for storage by other institutions.

Rhona Brankin: We have made it clear that we could not provide funds to extend the Scottish National Portrait Gallery into the east end of the Findlay Building before the National Galleries of Scotland have completed their two current priority projects, development of the Royal Scottish Academy building and the Granton Centre.

Dental Care

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures the NHS has taken to recruit dentists from outwith the UK.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive have attempted to encourage dentists from the EEC to work in Scotland as an interim measure to address workforce problems. Due to the limited success of this exercise, the main workforce strategy has been to increase the number of dentists graduating in Scotland and to maintain these graduates within the NHSiS. We now produce 120 new dental student graduates each year, which is the highest figure produced in Scotland for the last five years.

  Open adverts for posts have also been placed in internationally recognised journals.

Education

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7079 by Peter Peacock on 24 July 2000, whether the information given on total expenditure per pupil by each local authority can be broken down into net current expenditure per pupil in (a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) special schools, in 1998-99.

Peter Peacock: The information requested is shown in the table below. Authorities provide for special educational needs in different ways and there is likely to be some variation between authorities in how they record numbers of pupils and expenditure in the returns made to the Scottish Executive. The significant variations in the figures in the column for the special sector should be viewed in that light.

  


Net current expenditure on local 
authority primary, secondary and special schools
1998-1999 (at outturn prices)







Primary
Expenditure
Per Pupil
(£)


Secondary
Expenditure
Per Pupil
(£)


Special
Expenditure
Per Pupil
(£)




Aberdeen City


1,950


3,235


11,012




Aberdeenshire


1,981


2,997


13,190




Angus


2,024


3,065


54,311




Argyll & Bute


2,232


3,236


14,700




Clackmannanshire


1,914


3,170


18,595




Dumfries & Galloway


1,874


3,038


44,720




Dundee City


1,955


3,213


24,436




East Ayrshire


1,726


2,738


17,073




East Dunbartonshire


1,772


2,905


13,843




East Lothian


1,962


2,931


12,110




East Renfrewshire


1,770


2,881


19,076




Edinburgh, City of


1,993


3,278


12,369




Eilean Siar


3,408


4,804


41,028




Falkirk


1,862


2,986


14,087




Fife


1,943


2,932


23,228




Glasgow City


2,100


3,365


11,865




Highland


2,104


3,181


34,242




Inverclyde


1,987


3,177


15,235




Midlothian


2,058


3,157


16,678




Moray


1,888


3,195


23,690




North Ayrshire


2,003


3,132


13,376




North Lanarkshire


2,023


3,059


12,567




Orkney Islands


2,839


4,245


41,810




Perth & Kinross


1,951


2,896


20,000




Renfrewshire


1,890


3,027


11,282




Scottish Borders


1,843


3,000


41,989




Shetland Islands


2,881


6,167


41,545




South Ayrshire


1,838


3,052


10,856




South Lanarkshire


1,877


2,939


13,176




Stirling


2,049


3,161


14,117




West Dunbartonshire


2,003


2,996


15,773




West Lothian


1,961


3,154


9,876




Scotland


1,982


3,117


15,619




  Notes:

  1. All figures are net current expenditure excluding costs of home to school transport, school meals, education authority central administration costs, and loan and leasing charges.

  2. Figures derived from local authority financial returns (LFR 1) for 1998-99 and the annual school census.

  3. Figures in the special column include expenditure on local authority, grant-aided and independent special schools, and special classes in local authority primary and secondary schools.

Enterprise

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to support actively Her Majesty’s Government’s drive to expand the number of companies with employee ownership schemes.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive supports Her Majesty’s Government’s initiatives to expand the number of companies with employee ownership schemes, including the offering of tax incentives. Though largely a reserved power, the Executive, through the Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise Networks, encourages Scottish businesses to consider this option where appropriate.

Environment

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8687 by Mr Jack McConnell on 21 August 2000, why the £200,000 from last year’s environment budget has been allocated to research and publicity; what research and publicity is to be carried out as a result of this additional funding, specifying the estimated cost and purpose of each project, and whether it considered directing this money towards providing relief from water charges for people on low incomes.

Sarah Boyack: The Executive conducts research to support its policy development because effective environment policy needs to be founded on sound science. The additional monies have been allocated this financial year to support research into health effects around landfill sites (about £20,000) and public perceptions of the way in which air quality information is conveyed (about £10,000). In addition £50,000 has been allocated to REMADE, a market development programme to demonstrate uses for recycled materials.

  The Executive also recognises that raising public awareness of environmental issues, and of what we as individuals can do to help the environment, has an important role to play in influencing people to act in an environmentally sustainable way. That is why additional funding has been specifically allocated this financial year to help support the work of the Scottish Waste Awareness Group (£15,000); specific campaigns on business and biodiversity (£10,000) and wildlife crime (£10,000); the provision of information on genetically modified organisms (£10,000); training for implementing the new system for dealing with contaminated land (£5,000), and raising awareness of the Water Framework Directive (about £20,000). The remaining £50,000 will be used to fund publications and ad-hoc publicity initiatives.

  The Executive is currently considering whether it can improve on the assistance provided to many low income households through the link between water and sewerage charges and council tax bands. We plan to publish a consultation paper on this shortly.

Environment

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9668 by Sarah Boyack on 21 September 2000, what the value was of the environmental costs calculated for each of the two quarries in Scotland surveyed in the DETR research project, The Environmental Costs and Benefits of the Supply of Aggregates , published in July 1999.

Sarah Boyack: The costs were not broken down by individual quarries.

Environment

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9668 by Sarah Boyack on 21 September 2000, what the value was of the environmental benefits calculated for each of the two quarries in Scotland surveyed in the DETR research project, The Environmental Costs and Benefits of the Supply of Aggregates , published in July 1999.

Sarah Boyack: Phase 1 of the research (published in April 1998) concluded that the potential environmental benefits lie mainly in the restoration of former quarries. These include the creation of recreational amenity and sports facilities; after-use as an essential service (e.g. waste disposal, water storage); creation of wildlife habitat and geological exposure; and recovery of archaeological remains and recording of information. These benefits are applicable to quarries in general. No monetary value was placed on the benefits.

Environment

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how long, on average, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has taken to approve applications to use emamectin benzoate to control sea lice and what steps it is taking to expedite the approval of any outstanding applications.

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications by fish farmers to use emamectin benzoate to control sea lice have been granted by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications by fish farmers to use emamectin benzoate to control sea lice are currently awaiting approval by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Sarah Boyack: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The information requested is not held centrally.

Football

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when Greenock Morton Football Club received £500,000 from the Football Trust, as referred to in its press release SE1741/2000.

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how the £500,000 received by Greenock Morton Football Club from the Football Trust has been spent.

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures exist for monitoring in what way funds allocated to football clubs from the Football Trust are spent.

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures exist for ensuring that funds allocated to football clubs from the Football Trust are spent effectively.

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the package of £600,000 offered to Greenock Morton Football Club from the Football Trust and sportscotland will remain available to any future owner of the club.

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria football clubs must meet to be eligible for funds from the Football Trust.

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures were in place to monitor the ways in which the £60 million received by professional football clubs from the Football Trust during the past decade has been spent.

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures were in place to ensure that the £60 million received by professional football clubs from the Football Trust during the past decade (a) was spent effectively and (b) delivered value for money for the taxpayer.

Rhona Brankin: I apologise for not replying earlier to the member, and will write to him immediately.

Health

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many beds are blocked in the NHS in Grampian.

Susan Deacon: Based on recent information from Grampian Health Board there were 256 patients experiencing a delay of 10 days or more in their discharge to alternative continuing care.

Higher Education

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimated additional costs it expects to be incurred by the higher education sector in relation to unfilled courses, unlet student residences and any additional administrative work arising from the problems with the issue of this year’s exam results.

Henry McLeish: The admissions process is nearing completion and UCAS figures indicate that the numbers of acceptances to Scottish institutions is 32,018, up 2.6% on the same time last year. No estimates of the costs requested are available centrally. No doubt institutions will be reviewing the outcome of this year’s admissions process and considering the implications.

Ministerial Correspondence

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Transport and the Environment intends to reply to my letter of 9 May 2000 regarding my constituent George Edward.

Sarah Boyack: A reply to this letter was issued on 14 August 2000.

Planning

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what correspondence it has received from East Ayrshire Council about a golf course and complex at Glenshamrock Farm near Auchenleck.

Sarah Boyack: There has been no correspondence between East Ayrshire Council and the Scottish Executive on this matter.

Prison Service

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners have re-offended within four years of release from prison, for the most recent three-year period that figures are available, and what percentage this represents of prisoners released.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Of those persons whose first sentence in 1992, 1993 and 1994 was a custodial sentence, 4,960 (77%), 5,383 (76%) and 5,533 (75%) respectively were re-convicted within four years of the date of sentence. Convictions for most motoring offences and for some relatively minor statutory offences are excluded. Re-convictions may include convictions for other crimes committed prior to the date of sentence, thus over-stating the actual rate of re-conviction.

Public Appointments

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether applicants for appointment to public bodies are currently asked, or will be asked in the future, whether they are or have been a member of a lobbying organisation or other such group representing particular interests.

Mr Jack McConnell: In addition to questions regarding an applicant’s employment history, the standard application form used for public appointments includes the following question relating to conflicts of interest:

  "Are you aware of any possible conflict of interest which might arise, either personally, in relation to your employment or in relation to your connections with any organisations should you be appointed? If so, please give details."

Roads

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5884 by Sarah Boyack on 22 June 2000, what carry forward expenditure is budgeted for each of the 49 projects for any subsequent years for which figures are available.

Sarah Boyack: Current estimates for expenditure on each of the 49 schemes are as follows:

  


Schemes


£ million




2000-01


2001-02


2002-03


2003-04


2004-05




A1 Haddington to Dunbar


0.182


10.593


21.100


5.635


0.000




A78 Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston 
Bypass


0.220


0.450


7.430


14.400


7.000




A830 Arisaig to Kinsadel


2.173


5.095


2.660


0.000


0.000




A96 Fochabers and Mosstodloch Bypass


0.242


0.210


1.450


9.000


3.000




M77 Malletsheugh to Fenwick


2.054


1.950


0.500


0.800


1.500




A876 Kincardine Bridge Studies


1.350


0.460


0.110


0.000


0.000




A1 Howburn to Houndwood/Bowerhouse 
to Spott Rd


0.130


6.032


0.278


0.000


0.000




A7 Hawick Traffic Relief Scheme


2.703


0.000


0.000


0.000


0.000




A68 Soutra


1.311


0.000


0.000


0.000


0.000




A75 Cairntop to Barlae 


0.209


0.108


1.604


1.430


0.000




A75 Chapelton to Bush o’ Bield  


0.145


1.921


0.004


0.000


0.000




A76 Crossroads


0.087


1.090


0.015


0.000


0.000




A76 Gateside


0.050


0.593


0.010


0.000


0.000




A90 Forfar – Kirriemuir


0.032


1.900


0.050


0.025


0.000




A90 Forfar – Glamis


0.041


1.700


0.030


0.050


0.000




A90 Glendoick 


0.016


0.194


0.136


4.000


0.000




A90 Kinfauns


0.106


0.194


0.136


3.666


0.000




A90 Inchture


0.114


3.840


1.000


0.000


0.000




A96 Coachford


0.103


0.602


2.500


0.000


0.000




A96 Newtongarry


0.055


2.500


0.000


0.000


0.000




A720 Edinburgh City Bypass Phases 
2 and 3 


6.407


1.073


2.500


0.000


0.000




A8 Baillieston to Shotts Phase 1


0.400


5.450


9.620


0.000


0.000




A90 Inchmichael


2.000


2.101


0.060


0.000


0.000




A77 Turnberry 


0.100


0.600


0.000


0.000


0.000




A77 Central Reservation


0.750


0.010


0.000


0.000


0.000




A77 Hansell Village Footbridge


0.035


0.450


0.015


0.000


0.000




A9 Bankfoot


0.020


0.500


0.500


0.020


0.000




A9 North Kessock


0.250


0.250


0.000


0.000


0.000




A90 Bridge of Dee to Ellon Road pedestrian 
improvements 


0.075


0.177


0.321


0.010


0.000




A90 Haton Bends


0.150


0.300


0.250


0.020


0.000




A95 Cromdale


0.154


0.410


0.750


0.060


0.000




A95 Advie Bridge replacement


0.010


0.250


0.250


0.020


0.000




A90 St Annes to Careston


0.700


0.014


0.000


0.000


0.000




A92 Tay Bridge Approach Road


0.700


0.000


0.000


0.000


0.000




A985 Admiralty Road, Rosyth


1.100


0.000


0.000


0.000


0.000




M8 Claylands to Livingston


2.500


0.050


0.000


0.000


0.000




M8 Cumbernauld Road to Provan


1.750


0.035


0.000


0.000


0.000




M9 Almond Bridge


1.000


0.020


0.000


0.000


0.000




M73 Manse Road to Lochend


1.200


0.024


0.000


0.000


0.000




M73 Maryville to Baillieston


1.500


0.030


0.000


0.000


0.000




M74 Raith Interchange


0.650


0.015


0.000


0.000


0.000




M8 Kingston Bridge


10.000


10.000


4.670


9.260


n/k




A9 Millennium Cycle Route


2.150


0.000


0.000


0.000


0.000




Skye Bridge discount scheme and freezing 
of tolls


1.000


1.100


1.300


1.300


1.300




A90 Kinfauns (Phase 2)


0.000


0.100


1.200


0.020


0.000




A68 Drygrange Bridge


0.320


0.200


0.004


0.000


0.000




A76 Afton Bridge


0.600


0.008


0.000


0.000


0.000




A78 Inverkip Street Rail Bridge


0.050


0.300


1.850


0.030


0.000




A87 Shiel Bridge


0.240


0.240


0.020


0.000


0.000

Roads

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will provide towards the completion of the M74 Northern Extension.

Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the statement I made to Parliament on transport spending on 28 September 2000.

Roads

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to ensure that utility companies restore road and pavement surfaces to a proper standard following completion of road works.

Sarah Boyack: There are existing provisions under section 131 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 giving roads authorities powers, in the event of a failure by a utility company to reinstate the road properly, to issue a notice to the utility company requiring it to carry out remedial works within a prescribed period. In this respect, the road, by definition, includes the pavement. Should this notice not be complied with, the authority may carry out the necessary works and recover the costs reasonably incurred by them in doing so.

  Section 130 of the 1991 Act requires that a utility company executing road works shall, in reinstating the road, comply with such requirements as may be prescribed as to the specification of materials to be used and the standards of workmanship to be observed. Failure to comply with section 130 is an offence which, on summary conviction, is liable to a fine not exceeding level 3 (£1,000) on the standard scale.

Scottish Natural Heritage

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new employees Scottish Natural Heritage has taken on during the last three years; in what capacities any such staff are employed, and what the cost is of employing any such additional staff.

Sarah Boyack: This is a matter for Scottish Natural Heritage. The information requested is not held centrally.

Scottish Transport Group Pension Scheme

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the commitment given in the letter of 14 April 2000 by Sarah Boyack to provide a fuller reply to my letter of 19 November 1999 regarding the Scottish Transport Group pension scheme and the handling of surplus funds, when I will get this reply and how the Executive will ensure that this issue is resolved quickly to ensure that people, especially the elderly and the infirm, are able to claim their entitlements.

Sarah Boyack: My letter of 14 April 2000 promised a further letter when complex processes involved in the wind-up of the STG pension schemes were complete. The matter is under active consideration and I shall write again when I am in a position to make an announcement.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff in each office of (a) Locate in Scotland and (b) Scottish Trade International are involved solely in promoting tourism in Scotland.

Henry McLeish: None.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what budget (a) it and (b) the Scottish Tourist Board has available annually to spend on joint advertising with companies for the purpose of promoting Scotland abroad.

Henry McLeish: Responsibility for marketing of Scotland to overseas tourists rests with the STB. I will ask the Chairman to write to you.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people from England and Wales visited Scotland on a short break in each of the last five years and how many it estimates will visit in each of the next five years, broken down in each case into the number visiting (a) Edinburgh, (b) Glasgow and (c) the rest of Scotland.

Henry McLeish: Number of holiday trips of 1-7 nights by UK residents (millions)

  (actual 1995-99, forecasts 2000-04)

  

 

1995


1996


1997


1998


1999


2000


2001


2002


2003


2004




Scotland


4.6


5.4


6.0


5.0


5.1


5.2


5.4


5.6


5.7


5.9




Edinburgh


0.5


0.7


0.6


0.6


0.6


0.6


0.6


0.7


0.7


0.7




Glasgow


0.5


0.5


0.5


0.5


0.4


0.4


0.4


0.4


0.5


0.5




Rest of Scotland


3.6


4.2


4.9


3.9


4.1


4.2


4.4


4.5


4.6


4.8

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what strategy it has to encourage visits by cruise liners to Scotland and whether any funding is available for this purpose.

Henry McLeish: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Tourist Board. I will ask the Chairman to write to you.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the 27 British Tourist Authority overseas offices which represent Scotland; how many tourists from each of these areas visit Scotland each year, and what percentage of the total number from each area visiting the UK each of these figures represents.

Henry McLeish: Number of visitors to UK and Scotland from countries in which BTA has a presence

  

 

Overseas visitors 
to UK (000)


Overseas visitors 
to Scotland (000)


Scottish % of UK figure




Argentina


91


12


13




Australia


604


104


17




Austria


242


22


9




Belgium


1,184


52


4




Brazil


154


15


10




Canada


673


136


20




Denmark


431


40


9




Finland


145


12


8




France


3,275


133


4




Germany


2,831


211


7




Hong Kong


165


14


8




India


175


11


6




Ireland


2,310


192


8




Italy


1,090


75


7




Japan


546


47


9




Netherlands


1,719


107


6




New Zealand


166


29


17




Norway


509


40


8




Portugal


177


6


3




Saudi Arabia


100


8


8




Singapore


91


7


8




South Africa


285


29


10




Spain


879


61


7




Sweden


676


66


10




Switzerland


583


34


6




UAE


101


6


6




USA


3,880


470


12

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ministerial meetings it has had with the British Tourist Authority since 1 July 1999.

Henry McLeish: Scottish Ministers have met with officials from the British Tourist Authority on five occasions since 1 July 1999.

Transport

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to use the projected savings shown in table 7.11 of Investing in You to fund other improvements in public transport services in the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive area.

Sarah Boyack: The annual decrease in Special Grant is not a saving. These figures are the actual contracted payments to the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive for socially necessary rail services in its area secured through the ScotRail franchise. When calculating the Special Grant, in addition to factors such as SPTE’s projected revenue from passenger services and anticipated direct running costs, the Scottish Executive takes into consideration the annual reduction in the franchise payment made by the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority to ScotRail.

Transport

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has in place to monitor the number of employers in Scotland adopting green transport plans.

Sarah Boyack: We expect to publish by December a report entitled Green Commuter Plans - Do They Work?  by Napier University Transport Research Institute. The report examines the effectiveness of travel plans at three key sites. The Executive will keep under review whether and when it would be most beneficial to undertake a further assessment of employers’ travel practices.

Transport

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities make cycle training available to all pupils in primaries six and seven.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish school pupils benefited from cycle training in each of the last five years.

Sarah Boyack: This information is not held centrally.

Transport

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote cycle training for primary school pupils.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive provides funding to the Scottish Road Safety Campaign to enable it to develop road safety education initiatives. Following a review of the Scottish Cycle Training Scheme by the campaign, the written training materials were revised and a new training video made. The new training pack, which was launched in March, has been issued to all Road Safety Units in Scotland and its use promoted in schools throughout Scotland. The pack will assist in the delivery of high quality cycle training.

  Additionally, a booklet, Safer Cycling – A Guide for Parents, designed to inform parents on how to keep their children safe when cycling, was issued by the campaign in May.

  The Scottish Road Safety Campaign will continue to develop and promote the scheme. In particular, a resource for Road Safety Officers to use when training volunteer trainers is currently being piloted.

Water Authorities

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether water authorities in Scotland currently invite visitors in organised parties to their water treatment or sewage works and, if so, which authorities do so and whether those authorities have accepted visitors in organised parties in the last five years.

Sarah Boyack: Each year water authorities undertake a series of open days and organised visits involving a wide range of organisations.